I admit I've been proud of participating in a sport that is mostly for "tough guys," although I haven't boasted of it.

It just seems as though too many MMA competitors rely on the "badass" image. Although all of them are talented athletes it seems like they feel like, or they're forced, to present an almost comical persona.

I've never met a competitor in mixed martial arts that thought they were captain badass. Most of the guys I've met have been down to earth and humble. Overall, nice guys. If you've met assholes doing this its probably more that there are just some people that are dicks. Period.

And you're elitist comments about stupidity make me sick. There are a lot of ways to be intelligent. I hate it when people look down on others for it.

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant;
they too have their story.

I find it much more difficult to get angry at a rude gesture thrown in the direction of an outfielder waiting on a fly ball then an insult hurled at two men fighting in a ring...unless the insults are directed at Tim Sylvia. Really though, at least IMHO, it's one thing to voice your displeasure at a boring baseball game, another thing entirely to boo because there's a tactical fight taking place on the mat, or because no one had gotten knocked out that night, or becuase one fighter that used to go full on for a knockout now implements things like foot movement and a jab.

Sure sure you tell yourself that but its really just an elitist view point that you have. You are "better" than the normal fan. You know more about the sport and since you are so much more informed you are able to grasp the subtle interplay of foot work and a jab. Bullshit. You like most people hate new fans of something that was "underground" but is becoming more popular. Its like music fans that get pissed because their favorite underground band "soldout". You are only cool about the rude behavior at baseball because you most likely don't care about baseball as much as you do about MMA events. They are fans. They pay money that makes it possible for the fighters you love to watch fight. Get over it. If you are letting other fans ruin it for you...well man up.

Honestly, it's never the actual competitors I've had a problem with. It's the semi-posers that train in the same clubs/gyms that have attitude afterward. Check the thread on TapouT. They wear the gear around base sometimes and talk big ****, but when I ask if they've gotten approval from their CO to compete, they all waffle about it. I've looked into some of the local competition, and only a handful of military participate, and these are all combatives certified on top of their own studies, and they have the proper attitude about it.

Honestly, it's never the actual competitors I've had a problem with. It's the semi-posers that train in the same clubs/gyms that have attitude afterward. Check the thread on TapouT. They wear the gear around base sometimes and talk big ****, but when I ask if they've gotten approval from their CO to compete, they all waffle about it. I've looked into some of the local competition, and only a handful of military participate, and these are all combatives certified on top of their own studies, and they have the proper attitude about it.

Here's a helpful tip. There will be "posers" in ever sport / hobby / skilled thingy in the world. They will never go away. They will always piss you off. But really.. why the hell should it upset you? Why do you feel the need to go around and ask people if they compete when you know that they most likely don't.. want to feel better than them? I know you do. **** man your a person and as a person you have all the same flaws as they do. Get over it.

Recourse, I might be a tad arrogant about not pretending to be something I'm not, but at least I'm not a poser. It's the posers who **** talk to my face about having done FMA or a more traditional Karate when they have nothing to back it up that pisses me off. I'll leave well enough alone with you guys who've been to throwdowns or compete in MMA when it comes down to "Kata/no kata", but these guys who roll on a mat two days a week and then **** talk are something else.

Recourse, I might be a tad arrogant about not pretending to be something I'm not, but at least I'm not a poser. It's the posers who **** talk to my face about having done FMA or a more traditional Karate when they have nothing to back it up that pisses me off. I'll leave well enough alone with you guys who've been to throwdowns or compete in MMA when it comes down to "Kata/no kata", but these guys who roll on a mat two days a week and then **** talk are something else.

Yeah but you know letting it get you all upset isn't going to do anything. If people talk **** to your face ask em to spar to settle it. But you aren't going to rid the world of ma posers or anything.

Well, there are posers, then there are **** talking posers. If there were an easy way for me to shut them the hell up, I would, but I would need several levels of command authorization to host and participate in any form of "tournament", which would include a throwdown type event.

Well, there are posers, then there are **** talking posers. If there were an easy way for me to shut them the hell up, I would, but I would need several levels of command authorization to host and participate in any form of "tournament", which would include a throwdown type event.

You'd have to have permssion to have an event that doesn't concern the military? Thats fucking ghey.

Yes, if I am injured in an outside event, then my chain of command needs to know I was involved in it, as well as the possible risks. If I am injured, I'm not mission ready, therefore, I'm a wasted resource. If I don't have authorization, I could be forced to pay out of pocket for my medical expenses. Should an injury occur under these circumstances, and I am unable to continue military service, I could be denied VA disability benefits.

The conversation has really moved on, but I want to say this anyway. Look, I LOVE football. I have no problem with football or football fans. But I do think a lot of people who consider themselves "real" MMA fans hold MMA fans to a very high standard.

I don't think the average person in a bar or a stadium watching a football game does know how an option works, actually. I also think there are a lot more MMA fans actually training at least one art used in MMA than there are football fans who actually play full-contact football with 11 to a side, percentage-wise. That's going to be less and less as the sport blows up, but the truth is that casual fans are important, too, if you want to be able to see good fighters make a good living at fighting. We're still not there yet, and simply put, we need the money a casual fan will pay into the sport to get there.